Brick-machine



J. SAMUELS.

BRICK PRESS.

No. 8,892. Patented Apr. 20, 1852.

ms Pzrznsom PHDTO-LJTHCL, WASH NGTON o c JESSE SAMUELS, OF ALLENTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA.

BRICK-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 8,892, dated April 20, 1852.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known. that I, Jnssn Surname, of the town of Allentown, county of Lehigh,

Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and l livering the brick from the molds on to the platform or endless apron; Fig. 3, detached portion of the hopper case; and Fig. at, a section of the bar 26, piston 18, portion of the lever 24, the disk 14:, and face plate 28.

My invention consists, firstly, in an improved feeding arrangement (by which the desired quantityof clay to fill the molds can be regulated to a nicety) in connection with a plunger, which partially condenses the clay into the molds preparatory to pressing; secondly, in the novel device or arrangement for clamping, removing thebrick from the molds, and placing them on a plat form, or apron, which I denominate a carrier. The simplicity of my machine, its regular and easy action when in operationthere being but little strain upon any of its parts comparatively speaking to occasion wvear and tearcombined with the cheap rate at which it can be constructed,must insure its general adoption in the place of many of the expensive and inefiicient machines now in use. p i

The main frame (1) which sustains and supports the wholemachinery may be made of any suitable material or in any desired form and of any proportions according to the size of the disk and number of molds desired.

The hopper or case (3) into which the pulverized clay is lifted and deposited, is stationary, it being bolted firmly to the main frame at such a distance above the disk, that the disk can rotate freely under it. Adjoining this hopper is another case or compartment 2) which is separated from the hopper by a partition and cutoff (4) which cutoff is adjustable and serves the purpose of'regulating the quantity of clay in the mold, by cutting it off a sutlicient height above the molds to be compressed intothe moldsby the plunger. The case (2) is also provided with a scraper (5) secured to the frame, so that as the disk revolves close to it-,itmay collect and heap underthe plunger loose clay. The outer end of the case (2) is further provided with a scraper (7) also adjustable, which isfor the purpose of scraping clean the face of the disk and removing the small particles of clay, that may be left remaining after passing under thescra-per There is a slot 6 provided in the case 2 running parallel with the face of the disk through which the scraper 5 passes, this is for the purpose ofdisposing of the coarse particle of clay which would otherwise choke and obstruct the case. The plunger 8 slides up and down and actsby its own weight. It may be made entirely'of iron or weighted for the purpose of giving the desired compression to the clay preparatory to pressing. It is raised by means of a projecting arm (9) attached to the main lever, actingon a pin (9) and it is retained in an elevated position, until required to fall upon-the clay, by a lever (10) having its fulcrum at (11) on the main frame. This lever is provided with a spring (12) and a small elbow lever 13), so that, when the plunger is elevated, the lever will spring under a small bracket (13) secured tothe plunger (in dotted lines) preventing said plunger from falling until the arm (9) descends and impinges against the elbow-lever (13), which will remove the lever (10) from under the bracket (13) and allow the plunger to descend.

The horizontal disk (14:), in which any desired number of molds can be formed, I make of cast iron, and insert steel, or case hardened molds. The molds may be made single, that is to say, so that the machine can press one brick at a time (as represented in the drawing) or in pairs of two or more, this of course, must be regulated according to the number of brick the press is designed to press per day, and the power employed to drive the same. The disk is firmly secured to the vertical shaft (15), so as to rotate with the shaft under the hopper case, and face plate. The desired intermittent rotary motion is given to it, by securing to the same shaft parallel to, and under it a wheel (16) of less diameter, with projecting arms or ledges (17) corresponding in number and position to the molds, these projecting arms support the pistons of the molds (18) which slide up and down on vertical dowel pins (in dotted lines) secured to the projections (17); immediately under the wheel (16) is placed the eccentric cam click (not attached to the shaft but moving freely on it) which consists of a quadrant shaped piece of metal (19) which is provided with a click (20) having its fulcrum between two brackets (19) on the top of the quadrant. It may act by its own weight (as represented) or it may be provided with a spring to insure its perfect action. Joined to the quadrant (19) (in dotted lines) is a pitman which pitman is jointed to the shackle bar (22) which is operated by an eccentric (23) on the main shaft. Thus the desired intermittent motion is communicated to the disk by the alternate action of the click (20) against the projections (17) bringing the mold, first under the action of the plunger and then the pistons and face plate with great regularity and precision. The pitman'or connecting rod, which rocks the quadrant, where it is jointed to the quadrant is provided with an adjustable screw, so as to regulate its rocking motion and prevent all jar or strain to the parts.

The desired pressure is given to the pistons for compressing the clay into the molds and forming brick, by an ovoid cam, secured to the main shaft at (23) which impinges on the under-side of the lever (24) having its fulcrum in the cross head (25) the lower part of which cross head fo-rmsthe face plate for the top of the molds. The cross head is firmly bolted to the main frame and connected with the lever (24) at any desired distance from its fulcrum is a strong bar (26) which passes through a mortise in said lever and swings therefrom on a short axle (27), so that the bar (26) can keep in a vertical position while operated upon by the lever; said bar is secured to the shaft or axle (27) by a nut (27 which will allow the bar to be lengthened or shortened for the purpose of increasing or diminishing the pressure. The pistons are provided with small projections, or are bulged out on their outer sides at their bottom ends, so that the bar (26) which has a shoulder 26 at its lower end in rising, can press rgainst their lower ends and force them into the molds against the face plate. The face plate (28) projects down from the cross head pretty close to the upper face of the disk, so that, when the pistons are forced into the molds, the face plate and disk are brought inclose contact, so as to form a perfect joint leaving no wiry edges to the brick.

Jointed to the main lever (24) and havmg its fulcrum on the main frame, is a lever (30) which descends with the main lever (24) comes in contact with the projections on the bottom ends of the pistons and forces them down out of the molds, should their own weight not be sufficient to do so.

When the ovoid cam arrives at its full action against the lever, it falls into a small curved recess (30) cut in the lever, for the purpose of producing a slight pause or cessation in the action of the pistons, so as to give the carrier (herein after described) time to take hold of the brick.

The bricks are more liable to be damaged while in the act of being removed from the molds, than at any other stage of their formation, and I have paid particular attention to the construction of a contrivance, or device, to obviate and prevent the rough shocks they are subjected to in being lifted and removed from the molds. I 7

My novel device for clamping, removing and depositing the brick upon a platform or apron from whence they are removed to the kiln consists of a peculiar. arrangement of mechanism contained in a frame, and it is connected with the main shaft in such a manner as to slide back and forth on ways (32) over the face of the disk; I have denominated it the carrier. Its frame (31) is composed of a back plate (32) and two side plates (33) and (34), and near the end of this frame, working in the side plates (33) and (34), is a shaft (35) to which is attached the clamp (36), said clamp projects above the shaft in an arm (36) and below it in a flat form (36) corresponding in size to the end of the brick, and the inner side of this lower projection is serrated, for the purpose of having a better hold on the brick; the shaft (35) is provided with a tumbler (35) formed on one end of it, resembling that of a common gun lock; and catching into said tumbler is a small trigger lever (37) having its fulcrum on the side of the frame (33) which catches in a notch in the tumbler and retains the clamp (36) in an open position. The clamp is set in an open position in the manner from closing entirely, or to its fullest extent, by a stationary pin (48) on the way (32) which pin supports and arrests the closing of the clamp (36) until the brick has been forced up from the mold between the clamp (36) and back plate (32), and then, as the carrier advances on its out ward movement, the back plate (32) slides the brick off from the face of the piston, the clamp is released from the pin (48), and the action of the spring (38) causes it to clamp, confine, and suspend the brick until the carrier reaches to nearly the full extent of its outward movement, when the stationary pin (40) opens the clamp and sets it ready to act upon another brick and repeat the operation. Thus the bricks are clamped, removed from the molds, and deposited in quick and sure succession, as fast as molded, and their corners and edges preserved from injury.

The faces of the pistons are liable to become caked with clay and produce an uneven surface to one side of the brick, to obviate this, I provide a selfacting scraper (43) which is hinged to the under side of the carrier and is pressed down against the face of the piston, causingit by the action of the spring (42) (in dotted lines) as the carriage passes out, to scrape the face of the pistons, and remove all clay adhering thereto, and as soon, as said scraper has passed over, the piston descends out of the way, and

allows the same to pass over the face of the disk without touching.

The desired reciprocating motion is given to the carrier by being jointed to a rockshaft (43) by the arm (44) and connecting rod (44). Motion is given to the rock shaft from the cam 23 on the main shaft.

by a connecting rod (45,) which is jointed to the shackle bar (22) with an adjustable screw (47) to regulate the motion of the carrier to a nicety, and the rod (45) is jointed to the rock shaft (43') by a short arm at (46).

I use a large fly wheel on the main shaft, by which I am enabled to drive the machine at a pretty rapid speed. With a disk containing six molds twenty thousand brick can be turned out per day, and if the molds are doubled, or placed in pairs of two, about double the quantity can be turned out per day. By means of the nut on the end of the bar (26) the pressure can be increased or diminished, and the connecting rod to the carrier frame, is also provided with a means of adjustment, and some of the other parts Where there is much strain, are also capable of being adjusted, which prevents all jar, and strain; and makes the machine work with ease and precisionwhich little arrangements and the construction of other parts of the machine I have deemed it unnecessary to be very particular in describing, as reference to the drawing will enable any intelligent mechanic to construct, and adopt, the various parts to each other.

Having thus fully described my invention and the manner of constructing the same, what I claim therein as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The manner of feeding the clay to the molds by means of the cutoff (4) in the hopper case, with the scraper for heapingthe clay under the plunger, in connection with the plunger 8, operated as described, for partially condensing the clay into the molds preparatory to pressing, substantially as described.

2. I also claim the carrier for clamping and removing the brick from the molds, consisting of the clamp (36) and back plate (32) for clamping the brick, and the spring (38) and tumbler shaft and trigger (37 or their equivalents, arranged substantially as described and operated upon by three stationary pins (39), (40) and (48), substantially as in the manner, and for the purpose herein fully set forth.

In testimony whereof he has hereunto signed his name before two subscribing witnesses.

JESSE SAMUELS. Witnesses R. K. MORSELL, Gno. R. Wnsr. 

